He looked to the left.
The wind rose, carrying the stench of death to him and he felt his heart hammer against his ribcage. A child, limping, trying to prevent himself from toppling over, all his energy focused on keeping the mangled dirt bike—and himself—upright.
I wish that kid hadn’t been killed up there.
The bike, sputtered, growled, whined. Or perhaps it was Danny Richards making the awful sounds—Timmy couldn’t tell.
The child’s bisected mouth dropped open, teeth missing, as he lurched forward, the weight of the bike threatening to drag him down and Timmy bolted, ran for his life. The wind followed him, drowning out his own screams, thwarting his attempts to deafen the mournful wail coming from the stitched-together boy hobbling along the railroad tracks.
“Where’s my sissssssterrrrrr?”
Timmy stopped for breath by the memory of the pond. He could still see the boy, a distant figure lurching along the tracks—a pale, bruised shape against the dark green grass.
Something’s wrong, something’s broken. Timmy knew it then as if it had been delivered in a hammer-strike blow to the side of his head. He sobbed at the realization that the They Darryl had mentioned, the They who would show him what he needed to learn, were the dead. He would see them now. Again and again.
Everywhere.
And there was a truth he had missed, a truth he was not yet ready—not yet able—to figure out on his own. All that was left were questions:
Why did he want to hurt Dad?
Why did he ask me if I’d die for him?
Why did he say maybe he deserved to die?
As he straightened, struggling not to weep at the thought of what might yet lay ahead of him, he flinched so hard his neck cracked, a cold sheet of pain spreading over his skull.
A voice that might have been the breeze.
A whisper that might have been the trees.
And a face that peered over his right shoulder, grinning.
Timmy choked on a scream.
“Mine, now,” said Mr. Marshall.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The Turtle Boy is merely the first in a series of stories featuring Timmy Quinn. Other completed sequels are a short novel, The Hides, a novella entitled Vessels, and a novelette entitled The Turtle Boy: Peregrine’s Tale. You can find The Hides and Vessels on Smashwords, with Peregrine’s Tale to follow.
I am currently working on the final book, a full length novel entitled Nemesis. More news on that as it develops.
It should also be noted that all the locations in the preceding story and its sequel The Hides are very real.
And so are the turtles.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Dungarvan, Ireland, Kealan Patrick Burke is an award-winning author described as “a newcomer worth watching” (Publishers Weekly) and “one of the most original authors in contemporary horror” (Booklist).
Some of his works include the novels KIN, MASTER OF THE MOORS, CURRENCY OF SOULS and THE HIDES, the novellas THE TURTLE BOY (Bram Stoker Award Winner, 2004), VESSELS, MIDLISTERS, and JACK & JILL, and the collections RAVENOUS GHOSTS and THE NUMBER 121 TO PENNSYLVANIA & OTHERS (Bram Stoker Award-Nominee, 2009).
Kealan also edited the anthologies: TAVERNS OF THE DEAD (starred review, Publishers Weekly), BRIMSTONE TURNPIKE, QUIETLY NOW (International Horror Guild Award Nominee, 2004), the charity anthology TALES FROM THE GOREZONE and NIGHT VISIONS 12 (starred review, Publishers Weekly, British Fantasy Award & International Horror Guild Award nominee).
A movie based on his short story “Peekers”, directed by Mark Steensland screened at a variety of international film festivals and won a number of awards. You can view the film at the author’s website.
As actor, Burke played the male lead in Greg Lamberson’s film SLIME CITY MASSACRE, the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic SLIME CITY, which will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Video On Demand in 2011.
Visit Kealan on the web at www.kealanpatrickburke.com, and read more titles by the author at Smashwords.com.
Copyright
Copyright 2010 by Kealan Patrick Burke
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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